Motorway speed limits.

CiniO

booooring! wrote: »

Minimun speed limit of 80 km/h should be set.

This can not be done, as there is already maximum speed limit of 80km/h set for many vehicles.
What would you expect them to do? Drive at exactly 80km/h as anything else like 79km/h or 81km/h would be illegal?

Speed limit should be increased depending on engine size. Do you really want a punto or corsa or something driving on the motorway at 160 km/h.

That's nonsense. Nearly every modern car is suitable to safely drive at such speeds even if it's small like punto or corsa.
I've done some crazy speeds in small cars like cinquecento and never had any problems.

FortySeven

The other day I got stuck behind a nun who thought that she should stop in the outside lane whilst indicating left to get to the off ramp, I had my hazards on as soon as I realised she was going to stop for real and was blowing the horn and flashing the lights as car after car swerved to the inside lane to avoid us. I was close to getting out and running for it when traffic eased and she was able to make the turn. I was shaking like a leaf. Not funny.

I love driving and think 120kph is comical for modern cars and roads but, and it is a huge flashing light but, there are people on the roads who should not be let out on a bicycle, I see them daily. The speed limits are there for them. The rest of us have to just live with the wasted time and penalty points.

booooring!

CiniO wrote: »

This can not be done, as there is already maximum speed limit of 80km/h set for many vehicles.
What would you expect them to do? Drive at exactly 80km/h as anything else like 79km/h or 81km/h would be illegal?


That's nonsense. Nearly every modern car is suitable to safely drive at such speeds even if it's small like punto or corsa.
I've done some crazy speeds in small cars like cinquecento and never had any problems.

So you think that's it's not a bit dangerous in the slightest for someone to be going 50 km/h on the motorway? Your argument is like why even set a max speed limit? What are people going to drive at 121 km/h? Im talking about cars and not trucks by the way.

And yes it is safer to be doing higher speeds in a more powerful car than a small car struggling as better breaking power, turning power, better acceleration, better grip at higher speeds. A

CiniO

booooring! wrote: »

So you think that's it's not a bit dangerous in the slightest for someone to be going 50 km/h on the motorway?

It's not ideal if someone does that, but I can't see how could there be a law against it. Sometimes there genuinely is a need for someone to drive slower.
I've never heard of any country, where motorway minimal speed limit would be as low high as 80km/h.

Your argument is like why even set a max speed limit? What are people going to drive at 121 km/h?

I don't really understand that.
Just try to answer how would you see legislation putting minimum limit at 80km/h and maximum limit at 80km/h for some vehicles. How do you imagine this can be achieved?

Im talking about cars and not trucks by the way.

All right. What's the difference? So you say trucks can drive slower, but car's can't?
BTW - I wasn't talking about trucks as well - they are actually limited to 90km/h on motorways not 80km/h.

And yes it is safer to be doing higher speeds in a more powerful car than a small car struggling as better breaking power, turning power, better acceleration, better grip at higher speeds. A

Small car can have the same good braking, the same good grip, and the same good turning power as bigger car. It can also be more powerful, but I can't see any argument why more powerful car would be more suitable for higher speeds in safety point of view.
Yes - it is more comfortable to do 160km/h in big engines big vehicle, than 1 litre tiny car. But from safety point of view I can't see a difference except in case if you crash you are way more likely to die in small car.

legomanx51v

mikeecho wrote: »

I hope everyone here acknowledges that there is very little police enforcement on motorways, thus you can drive with immunity.

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I've driven from cork to Donegal and I didn't meet a speed trap, robot van or gosafe van, and ditto on the return journey.

The sooner ppl realised that Ireland has little or no road enforcement, they might stop complaining about the one time they got caught because of their own inattentiveness.

Tell that to the Gard with a speed gun hiding behind a mud ramp on the M8 about 50km out from cork.
143kph on a dry sunny summers day at 11.30am in a 3.0 diesel. No leeway at all. 3 points and fine. Screw 'em.

legomanx51v

CiniO wrote: »

But from safety point of view I can't see a difference except in case if you crash you are way more likely to die in small car.

When else is safety important, if not in the event of a crash??

CiniO

legomanx51v wrote: »

When else is safety important, if not in the event of a crash??

It's obvious that in small vehicle every crash will have much more effect on chances of surviving of its occupants than in a bigger, heavier car.
It's just a risk people are taking by driving small cars.

But driving small vehicle doesn't affect chances of being involved in a crash, as small car can brake, handle and accelerate the same good or better than much bigger and much more powerful cars.

redlead

A lot depends on what car that you are driving too. If I'm driving my Yarris I feel that 110 is the most comfortable speed for it as it just doesn't have the same road holding as a bigger car. If I'm driving my Passat I could comfortably drive 160. If I could change the limit I would put it up to 130 but wouldn't want a lot of people out there doing much more than that. My cruising speed was always 140 but just stick to 120 now as the Gardaí seem obsessed with racking up cash on the motorways.

novarock

legomanx51v wrote: »

Tell that to the Gard with a speed gun hiding behind a mud ramp on the M8 about 50km out from cork.
143kph on a dry sunny summers day at 11.30am in a 3.0 diesel. No leeway at all. 3 points and fine. Screw 'em.

If he clocked you at 143, then your speedo was probably reading 150+ due to the general inaccuracy of them. This is why outside lane hoggers who are sticking to the 120 reading on their car are a pain in the arse.

Realistically, our limit is 120, The Gardai don't seem interested unless you break 140, and most drivers are perfectly safe at 130.

Mister Jingles

What is/are the leniency of go safe vans on motorways generally ?

novarock

I've never seen a Go-Safe on a motorway. I have seen Garda marked Vans, as far as I know they are traffic monitoring. Again, I'm sure this is a myth, but I believe the reason that the Go-Safe's can't be on an 'M' road is because it is illegal to park in the hard shoulder on these roads.

Speed traps on Motorways are typically hand-held, and from my experience they tend to be lenient up to 135. I am basing this on blatantly passing a Garda at this speed and having him gesture at me to slow down a little.. Lucky day!

pred racer

novarock wrote: »

I've never seen a Go-Safe on a motorway. I have seen Garda marked Vans, as far as I know they are traffic monitoring. Again, I'm sure this is a myth, but I believe the reason that the Go-Safe's can't be on an 'M' road is because it is illegal to park in the hard shoulder on these roads.

Speed traps on Motorways are typically hand-held, and from my experience they tend to be lenient up to 135. I am basing this on blatantly passing a Garda at this speed and having him gesture at me to slow down a little.. Lucky day!

There is a Gosafe zone at the end of the m7 before it changes into a dual carriageway at Naas.

novarock

I know the one, I've only ever seen a Garda marked van or a handheld speedtrap here, not the third party vans.. Anyone else ever see a go Safe van here?

Mister Jingles

There was one on the M3 an hour ago.

novarock

yeah, A quick look at the GoSafe map, they are the only two in the country - Naas Bypass, and Clonee Bypass.. None on any of the other motorway in the country..

duffman3833

i hope im able to post this link but
here is link to motorway speeds worldwide
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/World_Speed_Limits.svg/1024px-World_Speed_Limits.svg.png

Mc Love

Was driving on the M8 to Cork and I don't think one car i met was doing 120 including myself. I was doing about 130-140 and cars around me doing the same, some cars even passing me out.

I'd be all for a speed limit increase and a decrease on some roads

Victor

novarock wrote: »

Again, I'm sure this is a myth, but I believe the reason that the Go-Safe's can't be on an 'M' road is because it is illegal to park in the hard shoulder on these roads.

Myth. Not only that, but many sections of motorway have dedicated lay-bys for carrying out speed checks.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/44/enacted/en/print.html

27.—Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively, of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of the Garda Síochána of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána, where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.

GoSafe vehicle operate under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána - the local superintendent.

mikeecho

True, but how would the gosafe operator safely conduct his setup routine on an active motorway?

It would involve him standing out on the side of the road.

Can't see it happening, too many H&S factors.

novarock

Victor wrote: »

Myth. Not only that, but many sections of motorway have dedicated lay-bys for carrying out speed checks.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/44/enacted/en/print.html

GoSafe vehicle operate under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána - the local superintendent.

All true,

But honestly, I do a lot of motorway km's, I've never seen a GoSafe on a Motorway.

Paddy@CIRL

120KM/H with the current 10-15KM/H unofficial leeway is fine IMO, driving standards are far too poor here for anything more. When you consider the UK's top limit is 113KM/H and the standard of driving is far better there, it should puts things into perspective.

mikeecho

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

120KM/H with the current 10-15KM/H unofficial leeway is fine IMO, driving standards are far too poor here for anything more. When you consider the UK's top limit is 113KM/H and the standard of driving is far better there, it should puts things into perspective.

Their limit might be 70mph, but in my experience, they generally travel at 80 -90mph

slimjimmc

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

120KM/H with the current 10-15KM/H unofficial leeway is fine IMO, driving standards are far too poor here for anything more. When you consider the UK's top limit is 113KM/H and the standard of driving is far better there, it should puts things into perspective.

Where you're getting this 10-15km/h unofficial leeway from. Are you mixing it up with the overread tolerance many speedometers have? Put it this way, if my speedometer was spot on (reading 120km/h @ true 120km/h) I wouldn't be confident doing 135km/h past a speed van. If my speedometer overread by 10% (reading 132km/h @ true 120km/h) I wouldn't be so bothered.

mikeecho

slimjimmc wrote: »

Where you're getting this 10-15km/h unofficial leeway from. Are you mixing it up with the overread tolerance many speedometers have? Put it this way, if my speedometer was spot on (reading 120km/h @ true 120km/h) I wouldn't be confident doing 135km/h past a speed van. If my speedometer overread by 10% (reading 132km/h @ true 120km/h) I wouldn't be so bothered.

Vans seen to have less tolerance than humans at the roadside

Anyway.. getting caught on a motorway is pretty difficult.

I always check my mirrors at on ramps

veganrun

There are times when I wish the speed limits were a bit higher on motorways and main roads but with the amount of idiots I see speeding, tailgating, and driving badly/dangerously I think a higher speed limit would be nuts. Having said that, no matter what the speed limit is, there will be people who will exceed it.

But seeing lots of people can't even drive and signal at a roundabout correctly at low speed, letting them drive faster seems like a bad idea.

I often wonder why they don't have speed cameras along the motorways. Could be fitted overhead or something like the tag readers on the M50.

savagethegoat

booooring! wrote: »

Minimun speed limit of 80 km/h should be set. Old people doing 60 km/h or less is an accident waiting to happen.

I also see someone talking about new drivers and lack of expierence. Plenty of new drivers are better drivers after passing the test than people who have been driving 20 years and vice versa. A lot of idiots in both categories as well.

Speed limit should be increased depending on engine size. Do you really want a punto or corsa or something driving on the motorway at 160 km/h.

On a motorway I know it's usually 150 km/h I go and ones I don't I stick to the speed limit.

That's total nonsense, no one does 60 or less on the motorway and almost no one does as little as 80. Oh and "old people"? ageist isn't it?

Monkeysgomad

120km/ h is way to low. My mother was caught doing 140 on it before and got the usual penalty points and a fine. Some parts of dual carriages are 120?? I definitely think 150km/h would be adequate. But they won't raise it as then less people will be fined and less money for them.

pippip

Monkeysgomad wrote: »

120km/ h is way to low. My mother was caught doing 140 on it before and got the usual penalty points and a fine. Some parts of dual carriages are 120?? I definitely think 150km/h would be adequate. But they won't raise it as then less people will be fined and less money for them.

They's make more back in the tax on the extra fuel used by everyone at 150.

Victor

If we take the map that someone posted and amalgamate some of the categories, we can see that the vast majority of the world has maximum speed limits of 110-130 km/h or lower. So we are pretty much where the rest of the world is.

Only Texas, UAE, Poland, Romania, Northern Australia and Germany have higher maximum limits or no limit.

Monkeysgomad wrote: »

120km/ h is way to low. My mother was caught doing 140 on it before and got the usual penalty points and a fine. Some parts of dual carriages are 120?? I definitely think 150km/h would be adequate. But they won't raise it as then less people will be fined and less money for them.

Less money for who?

Money from fixed charge notices and fines go to the Central Fund - not one department or agency's funds.

Overall, traffic fines and the criminal justice system lose money (€2+ billion per year) if measured on an accounting basis. Society makes it's money in preventing collisions, casualties and other issues.

pippip wrote: »

They's make more back in the tax on the extra fuel used by everyone at 150.

By 'they', do you mean repressive Middle Eastern regimes, including ISIS?

pippip

What??????? I mean the Irish government would make more as the extra fuel used. They'd still make a decent amount of fines, as others have said if you raise the limit you'll still get people who go 10-20 above that.

XC90_D5

Dartz wrote: »

I really don't want to come up behind a Massey Ferguson while doing 150kph.

It's frightening enough at 120....

Tractors aren't allowed on the motorway

savagethegoat

yes they are, provided they are designed to be capable of meeting the speed requirement.

GM228

XC90_D5 wrote: »

Tractors aren't allowed on the motorway

That's incorrect, there is nothing specifically banning tractors on a motorway, however most tractors are taxed as agricultural vehicles and so are limited to 40 km/h and therefore not legal on the motorway, however if a tractor is taxed as a general haulage vehicle for example and has a top speed which is higher than 50 km/h (since January 1st they must also be plated for speeds above 40 km/h and taxed appropriately) then they are perfectly entitled to be on the motorway!

XC90_D5

140 is the default speed anyway. The M8 coming out of Cork is a perfect example. I often go 150 and that's keeping up with other traffic! A Passat even whizzed past me at that speed although I must say that BMW 5 series are the worst for speeding! It's just like the UK where the default speed is 80mph even though the speed limit is 70mph. Cars are getting faster and more capable of high speed (Mercedes 9 speed transmission allows you to drive at 200km at 2500rpm) and we're only going to get faster and faster...

XC90_D5

savagethegoat wrote: »

That's total nonsense, no one does 60 or less on the motorway and almost no one does as little as 80. Oh and "old people"? ageist isn't it?

Oh come on don't get offended...more often than not it's going to be an old person that will be driving slow and people do often go as slow as 60. They do on the M8 at least

XC90_D5

GM228 wrote: »

That's incorrect, there is nothing specifically banning tractors on a motorway, however most tractors are taxed as agricultural vehicles and so are limited to 40 km/h and therefore not legal on the motorway, however if a tractor is taxed as a general haulage vehicle for example and has a top speed which is higher than 50 km/h (since January 1st they must also be plated for speeds above 40 km/h and taxed appropriately) then they are perfectly entitled to be on the motorway!

Ok sorry I was going by the minimum speed of 50 km/h

GM228

XC90_D5 wrote: »

Ok sorry I was going by the minimum speed of 50 km/h

Most modern tractors can reach 60-80 km/h and possibly higher.

Any tractor which can travel above 40 km/h must now be speed rated and plated.

TheRiverman

There's a lot of people out there who need to be educated in the proper use of Motorways and Motorway speed limits as they currently stand.Some of the driving I see on the M6 (the one I use most) is crazy and don't get me started on the M4 particularly nearer to Dublin.

AMGer

TheRiverman wrote: »

There's a lot of people out there who need to be educated in the proper use of Motorways and Motorway speed limits as they currently stand.Some of the driving I see on the M6 (the one I use most) is crazy and don't get me started on the M4 particularly nearer to Dublin.

I find the M8 just passed the Jack Lynch to about Fermoy to be the worst I've encountered. No idea how a two lane system works in that neck of the woods. Not a motorway but the same applies to the N25 dual carriageway from the JL heading towards Waterford......don't hate Cork people, you know I'm right!

Jesus.

Has anyone driven an 80hp petrol car up and down modern Motorways for a sustained period of weeks? I did it recently and it damn near wore me out.

MarkAnthony

XC90_D5 wrote: »

140 is the default speed anyway. The M8 coming out of Cork is a perfect example. I often go 150 and that's keeping up with other traffic! A Passat even whizzed past me at that speed although I must say that BMW 5 series are the worst for speeding! It's just like the UK where the default speed is 80mph even though the speed limit is 70mph. Cars are getting faster and more capable of high speed (Mercedes 9 speed transmission allows you to drive at 200km at 2500rpm) and we're only going to get faster and faster...

I'm not down in Cork much but my experience in Dublin is people stick rather rigidly to 110/120 as indicated by their speedo. At 120/130 (by GPS) I'd be overtaking most traffic on a run down to Kilkenny.

Did follow the Mayor of Cork once (I assume he has the XXX-C-1 reg) his driver had his foot down a bit to be fair.

_Kaiser_

MarkAnthony wrote: »

I'm not down in Cork much but my experience in Dublin is people stick rather rigidly to 110/120 as indicated by their speedo. At 120/130 (by GPS) I'd be overtaking most traffic on a run down to Kilkenny.

Did follow the Mayor of Cork once (I assume he has the XXX-C-1 reg) his driver had his foot down a bit to be fair.

I'd find the opposite actually... I drove to Carlow recently and after the M7 splits onto the M9 the average speed increases significantly (150+) for most cars it seemed.

The M7 seems to be mostly 100-130 (excluding congestion). The problem with the M7 is poor lane discipline, last minute weaving and cutting, and muppetry like tailgating in my experience

The M8 similarly seems to be 100-130 for the most part (I just drove it tonight) but far less busy most of the time so higher speeds are easily possible and less risk than the others

The car makes all the difference.. 120 km/h (or more) in a 1.3 FWD hatchback will actually feel a lot more "unstable" and dangerous than the same speeds in a 3L Quattro like my own A6 - a car which just eats up the miles and will feel like you're doing a lot less than you are if you don't keep an eye on it.

I don't overly concern myself about the limits though.. I drive appropriate for the conditions - so if the weather/surface is bad or I'm in a built-up area with a lot of pedestrians I'll almost certainly be doing less than whatever the sign might say, but equally if it's an almost deserted motorway late at night with maybe 10 mins of driving between cars, I won't overly worry about creeping a few km over the 120 either.

Mint Sauce

Jesus. wrote: »

Has anyone driven an 80hp petrol car up and down modern Motorways for a sustained period of weeks? I did it recently and it damn near wore me out.

Mines only about 89bhp. Okay once l'm doing 120 she's at about 3.5k revs, but doesn't feel she's struggling. Drove Sligo to Cork City, on to Middleton and back, and it was pleasure the whole way. On the motorway and overtaking no bother.

savagethegoat

XC90_D5 wrote: »

Oh come on don't get offended...more often than not it's going to be an old person that will be driving slow and people do often go as slow as 60. They do on the M8 at least

That was six months ago, I might have got over it by now.

digiman

They should gradually increase the motorway speeds over the coming years. Start of at an increase to 130Kmph and see how it goes. If no major increase in accidents or dangerous driving then move it up to 140Kmph the following year until we get to unlimited speeds

Seth Brundle

digiman wrote: »

They should gradually increase the motorway speeds over the coming years. Start of at an increase to 130Kmph and see how it goes. If no major increase in accidents or dangerous driving then move it up to 140Kmph the following year until we get to unlimited speeds

Irish people on the whole do not know how to drove on a motorway. Until this is fixed, you cannot be allowing them to go even faster!

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

digiman

kbannon wrote: »

Irish people on the whole do not know how to drove on a motorway. Until this is fixed, you cannot be allowing them to go even faster!

That's why you introduce it gradually.

Seth Brundle

digiman wrote: »

That's why you introduce it gradually.

No. You need to educate people before you give them any increases!

Montgolfier

Irish are terrible drivers but that's due to the roads being quiet. Driving standards and awareness is probably better around larger cities but in saying that the difference is too great between the best and the worst drivers. On the M9 I see drivers doing 98kph and if your not paying attention you could easily rear end them. Then theirs the driver doing the speed limit and sits in the fast lane because he thinks he's entitled.
Raising the speed limit would definitely lead to more accidents.
I gave up the motorbike when I moved home it was just too dangerous the drivers have no awareness.